Over the years, our family has gone through lots of toys. We raised three wonderful children and now grandparent six glorious grandchildren between the ages of twelve years and three months old. While most toys come and go, others have stood the test of time, even lasting from one generation to another. Here’s a list of our top ten favorite, longstanding toys (in no particular order) and why we love and recommend them.

1. Fisher-Price Farm – If you have a child who loves animals, this toy is a must. It provided my youngest daughter countless hours of imaginative play and still looks brand new seventeen years later. Plus, it has that awesome handle on the top that makes it easy to take along for nice, quiet entertainment wherever you go.
2. A large box – It’s amazing how a simple appliance box can become a house, a fort, a hiding place, a bed, or any number of other things. Our kids loved decorating their boxes with crayons or paint, cutting out windows and doors, and making them into their own special place, whatever it was that day.
3. Legos – Is there any end to the creations kids can make with these waffle-blocks? Seriously, my grandsons have made things that I would never have even thought of. When I was at their house last week, they each had a Lego scene they’d created on the table and were fighting wars within their Lego worlds. Amazing. And Legos last forever.
4. Blocks – of any kind. Blocks are sort of a precursor to Legos for younger kids. They don’t need such fine motor skills to build with them. We had a set of magnetic blocks that worked really well for those just starting out. They weren’t quite as frustrating because they didn’t fall over as easily. But then again, sometimes knocking down your building is half the fun.
5. Puzzles – Great for learning their shapes, matching colors, and manual dexterity. We started with the ones that have little pegs on each piece, then kept going until they were doing adult puzzles! A fun, thinking toy that grows with your child.
6. Books – Your kids don’t like to read? Then you simply haven’t found the right author or topic yet. There are a gazillion options out there. Surely one will appeal to your child. And books open their minds to other worlds, opinions, vocabulary, friends, cultures, you name it, a book will expand your child and enhance his education. Plus, there are coloring books, activity books, and sticker books that also fit neatly into this category. Such fun!
7. Play-Doh – Talk about fun, imaginative play! Play-Doh lets your kids create to their hearts’ content. Add in your own cookie cutters, garlic press, toothpicks, and anything else you might have in the kitchen that would make a cool imprint, and you’ve got an afternoon of creativity. We always put a vinyl place mat at each child’s place to make clean up easier.
8. Stuffed animals – This is a tricky one. Some kids like them and some don’t. Some prefer them more for a room decoration or bed buddy than an actual toy. But my daughter Ashley treated her stuffed animals like real pets—putting leashes on them, walking them, brushing them, and such. She preferred them over dolls. She still loves animals to this day and hopes to have a career working with them.
9. Dolls – This is not just a girl’s toy. Little boys love dolls, too, especially if they have younger siblings. Dolls teach children how to care for someone else, how to be gentle to a baby, what a baby needs, and it gives them the chance to practice their “grown-up” skills. If you can add in a doll stroller, all the better.
10. Tinker Toys – These have been around since 1914! Talk about standing the test of time.  They’re still as fun as they were one hundred years ago and I love that they come with an instruction guide teaching you how to build different things. Our grandsons have made awesome robots with moving parts, construction equipment, and their own creations that “shoot lasers,” just to name a few.

Every family has their favorite toys. Some last longer than others. What toys would you put on your top ten list?